A man from Quebec who violently defeated his 82 -year -old neighbor argues voluntary poisoning in an attempt to avoid a condemnation of attempted murder. His lawyer believes that his consumption of alcohol has changed his behavior sufficiently to raise a reasonable doubt about his real intention.
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Roger Bergeron is accused of having beaten his neighboring neighbor on the evening of May 3, 2023.
Irritated by the noises from the woman’s apartment, particularly her night apprenticeship of the guitar, the septuagenarian would have denied and attacked the victim.
Other residents of the building on avenue de Bourlamaque, witnesses of the assault, had described the behavior of Roger Bergeron as that of a “completely hysterical” man at the opening of the trial in the fall.
“Highly unusual” behavior
However, the latter’s lawyer argued that such aggressiveness has nothing to do with the personality of the one who has no judicial history.
He rejects the fault of this violent behavior on the large quantity of alcohol that Bergeron kicked that evening, he who used to “sink” to flee the noise caused by his recurring tinnitus as well as by his neighbor.
Me Sébastien St-Laurent insisted during his pleading on Monday on the fact that his client demonstrated during his testimony to his non-violent personality.
“Such a break in the behavior of Monsieur demonstrates that he was not in his usual state,” says the lawyer.
Even the disturbing remarks made by man campaign in this sense according to him.
Recall that witnesses heard Roger Bergeron repeat: “I’m going to kill her!” I’m going to kill her! ”, About her neighbor, Aline Dupré.
He would also have made verbalizations to a police officer, arguing that he should have beat her “from the start”.
“Finally, I’m going to sleep well,” he added.
“These are words that we have difficulty attributing to him today so it is not who he is,” pleaded Me St-Laurent.
-Memory loss
Roger Bergeron testified before judge Chantale Pelletier on Monday.
Puny, the shoulders vaulted forward, the weak voice; The 70 -year -old man stands out with “the enraged” described by the witnesses of the assault.
He said he had no memory after the moment he staggered to his room to put himself in bed after pushing strong beers and three large glasses of Brandy.
A 500ml bottle was also found shattered on the scene.
His “alarm clock” took place in the hospital, he said, “lost”, “bewildered”.
“For me, reading the file is like reading a novel. It doesn’t wake up in me, it’s unimaginable to have a memory loss like that, “he testified.
The prosecutor on the file noted contradictions between his testimony and his police interrogation, in particular as to the amount of drunk alcohol which has multiplied at the trial.
For Me Alexandre Morency, Roger Bergeron’s testimony should simply not be considered by the judge on these aspects as it seems only to serve the thesis of intoxication pleaded by the defense.
Serious assault?
But Sébastien St-Laurent does not bother.
According to him, the excessive poisoning of his client and the changes she caused on his behavior on the evening of May 3, 2023 must raise a reasonable doubt in the head of Judge Pelletier.
Especially since the mobile of the “noise of the neighbor” was minimized by the accused during his testimony, he who said he was ready to move.
For the lawyer, it is therefore impossible to prove that Roger Bergeron had really intended to kill his neighbor, concluding that his gestures are closer to the second chief of accusation carried, that of serious assault.
Roger Bergeron has been held since his arrest in this file.
The judge had to render her decision on June 19.
